Isle of Wight based Spencer Wright made an emotional return to an old venue last week and was rewarded with two carp for a combined weight of over 90lb! Here’s the full story:
I made an emotional journey back to a local syndicate that I hadn’t fished for a year for an overnighter for some solitude and to reflect on the past 6 months of angling on another lake, which had tested my resolve and patience to the extreme. It was also poignant, that I was returning to the place where my wingman and best friend of 14 years, Rascal the Carp Dog had been laid to rest.
I made sure to kiss his resting place and asked him to bring me luck and maybe some spiritual intervention whilst I set up a short distance away from him. Fish were evident in the swim and over a couple of marks that I had pre-baited, so wasted no time in getting the baits in place before darkness ascended.
It seemed like I had only been asleep for a little while, when my Neville screamed like it was being throttled. The fight was frightening and I was under no illusion that I was attached to a very big fish. Whilst playing it, I looked down at my side hoping to see my unmistakable faithful friend, and pretended to speak to him, as if he was there like the last time we were there a year previous.
After 20 nerve racking minutes had surpassed, a huge fish swam over the drawstring and after taking a moment to gather my thoughts, whilst the bells rang out from a local church confirming it was midnight, before quickly switching back to the job in hand. It was weighed, photographed and identified as being the king of the lake, Boxer, weighing in at 47lb 10oz and I was truly elated.
Spence with Boxer at 47lb 10oz
With the rod back in place I struggled to sleep, finally drifting off about 3am only to wake at 6am to a stuttery take from the other Neville. The fight felt strange and jagged as I was sure to be attached to one of the smaller brethren, but the longer the fight went on, the more I realised I was mistaken and in fact it was another big mirror which was fighting erratically after ditching the lead and swimming up in the water. Eventually, the big long male sailed into the waiting net, where the scales and camera were already waiting. They settled on 42lb 9oz, meaning my overnighter had brought me quite a brace and deep down I knew that somehow some spiritual intervention had taken place to assist in my catch from my faithful friend.
The fish were both taken on my faithful Anchor rigs and snowman set up with CC Moore XXX / Northern special pop ups and terminal tackle comprising of ESP Size 6 Stiff Rigger, 15lb ESP Stiff bristle Filament / 15lb Brown Camo Sink Link reverse Combi-rigs, 2oz Leadshed drop off inline and 45lb ESP Lead-core Leaders.
